Tainted Blood
by Cap'n Sweaty
Summary: A KOF crossover fanfic focusing on Shermie and her survival of KOF '97. My first fanfic. Reviews are appreciated! Chapter 10 added on Nov. 17
1. Chapter 1

Tainted Blood

Disclaimer: I do not own Shermie or any other KOF characters. Those are the property of SNK Playmore. Mega Man X, Zero and Dr. Cain are owned by Capcom. Dr. Boskonovitch is owned by Namco.

Preview:

This story tells about Shermie's survival of the KOF '97 ordeal, and her subsequent quest to rid herself of the Orochi curse forever. Includes many sci-fi elements, funny encounters and a new romance for Shermie. This story is a crossover, but since Shermie is the main character/heroine, I have decided to place this story in the KOF section. Reviews and feedback are appreciated. Enjoy!

Prologue: The conclusion of the King of Fighters '97 tournament- October 23, 1997.

It was the end of one of the most hard-fought martial arts tournaments in history. Nine teams of three fighters had entered, and now only one was left. As expected, it was the same team that won this year that had won for the previous three years. There was a great celebration as the announcer handed the trophies to Kyo Kusanagi, Goro Daimon, and Benimaru Nikaido. Another successful tournament was complete, the fans and fighters could hardly wait until next year's contest. Suddenly, the atmosphere began to change. The festive environment turned to one of fear and anxiety. The sky grew dark, and three mysterious beings appeared.

Shermie had been waiting for this moment. However, at the same time, she felt apprehensive. Up until a few days ago, she had been nothing more than a spunky young French girl, who had her whole life ahead of her. She was a member of a successful music band known as CYS, along with her boyfriend Yashiro Nanakase and a teenage boy named Chris. She had fans all over the world. She enjoyed everyday carefree, nothing seemed to bother her. However, a few days ago, at the start of the tournament, a mysterious force had awakened inside her. "The time has almost come," she whispered to her friend and lover, Yashiro Nanakase, "soon his will shall be done!"

"We just need to gather the strength from these last remaining fighters, and then our mission will be complete!" Yashiro said.

Even though everything in her being cried out for her to accomplish this mission, there was still a small part of her, deep down, that simply wanted to continue living a normal life. She enjoyed traveling with the band, especially Yashiro, enjoyed the fame and recognition, and enjoyed the company of her friends, just like any other normal girl.

Kyo, Benimaru and Daimon watched as the three mysterious beings approached them.

YASHIRO: An interesting performance for a sideshow!

KYO: Who are you?

YASHIRO: Does Orochi ring a bell?

KYO: You're Orochi?

YASHIRO: Surprised? It is to be expected.

You see, Shermie, along with Yashiro and their adolescent partner Chris, were not just any ordinary friends and band partners. They were possessed by the spirits of the Heavenly Kings of Orochi. Their mission in the tournament was simple: Collect enough strength and energy from the powerful fighters in the tournament, and use that energy to re-awaken the ancient deity known only as Orochi.

Orochi is a name that strikes fear into the hearts of almost anyone who knows of the legend. He is a deity that has designs on destroying the human race, because he feels that they are immoral and are doing great harm to mother Earth. His presence was last felt over 1800 years ago, when the ancestors of the modern day fighters Kusanagi, Iori Yagami, and Chizuru Kagura defeated him and sealed him away. For 18 centuries Orochi had been away from the Earth, preventing him from causing harm and wreaking havoc on any and all humans. But now, his Heavenly Kings were just moments away from letting him loose again.

Suddenly, a voice called out from the crowd.

CHIZURU: Benimaru, Daimon, you need to stay back. The only way we can seal the Orochi is to perform the act as it was done 1800 years ago, by the descendants of the three sacred clans. Kyo, somehow we need to re-awaken Yagami.

Iori Yagami had briefly succumbed to the Orochi curse known as "The Riot of Blood," where all reason and logic are taken away from a person's mind, and only the desire to cause death and destruction remain. Yagami was beaten into unconsciousness by Kyo, Daimon and Benimaru a few moments earlier.

KYO: I'll try to get him up. Be sure to get the Yata mirror ready!

Slowly, Iori began to sit up.

IORI: Is the fight over?

KYO: No, we still have one more thing to do.

IORI: Let's do it!

The members of the three sacred clans battled the Orochi Heavenly Kings, and after a long and intense battle, where lives were nearly lost, the Kings were defeated. However, the fight was not over.

YASHIRO: It doesn't matter that you beat us! We were still able to gather your energy. Now Shermie, you know what we need to do.

SHERMIE: Yes, the time has come to sacrifice ourselves for our lord, Orochi, and re-awaken him in the body of our young friend.

YASHIRO: It pains me to have to do this, my love, but I will join you soon.

SHERMIE: You... promise?

(Shermie closes her eyes, and then feels a sudden, sharp pain in her side. Almost instantly, everything went black and she lost consciousness.)

Chapter I: Humanity is safe, for now.

After she lost consciousness, Shermie seemed to enter into a kind of limbo, she couldn't tell if she was alive, dead, or simply hallucinating. Shermie began to see things, she thought she must have died, because everything seemed completely strange to her.

The first thing she noticed in this state of mind was a huge flash of light, followed by the words, "for 10, 100 years, you have a chance." She did not know what to make of all that. A little later on, she saw a helicopter land near the site where she fought the three sacred clans. Two men appeared to get out of the helicopter. One man was tall, handsome looking, with white hair and wearing a dark blue outfit. The other man was slightly older, with dark brown hair, and a somewhat goofy looking mustache. His outfit was something Shermie had never seen before. The two men were approaching the fallen Kusanagi boy, who must have suffered some trauma from that bright light. She thought she heard the men speaking.

ZERO: Come on, we've gotta move! Now is the perfect opportunity. If we don't get Kusanagi back to HQ and start the cloning process soon, Igniz is gonna be pissed! You know how he gets when he's angry!

KRIZALID: Coming, sir!

Krizalid surveys all of the fallen bodies that lay around the place where the Orochi battle was fought. He looked over and saw Shermie, and began to approach her lifeless body. Shermie tried to move, but she could not, she had no strength to move any part of her body. She seriously thought she was dead.

KRIZALID (looking at Shermie): What a shame! So beautiful.

ZERO: Never mind them, you idiot! They're dead! They are of no use to us. We only want Kusanagi. Get over here and give me a hand! This guy's heavier than he looks!

KRIZALID: Yes, boss. (still looking at Shermie)

ZERO: Ha! She's not that beautiful anyway! You know that because of my killer mustache I'm the sexiest thing on God's green Earth.

Krizalid curses his boss under his breath, and then goes to help him load Kusanagi onto the helicopter. Shermie tries to say something, but she cannot move her mouth. Her whole body seems to have shut down, and only her mind is left. Then the same sharp pain she felt when Yashiro dealt his blow came back again, this time more painful than before. Shermie could not take it anymore. She blacked out.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

When Shermie regained consciousness again, she found herself in a much different setting. Instead of lying on the hard ground, she was now lying in a soft, warm bed, with covers over her body. She tried to move, but there was something that was keeping her left arm from moving. She opened her eyes wider, (behind her long bangs) cleared the cobwebs out of her head, and she realized that there was something stuck in her arm. She soon discovered that it was an IV. She was in a hospital!

"I must be alive," Shermie said to herself. "Why would I be in a hospital if I was dead? It doesn't make sense! Oh! I hope Yashiro and Chris made it out in one piece."

Suddenly, the door to her hospital room opened, and a nurse walked in. She took one look at the now conscious Shermie and her eyes began to widen. She then opened the door and called out in a very high tone that Shermie found most irritating.

NURSE: Doctor Kobayashi! Doctor Kobayashi! You might want to come here! The Jane Doe patient in room 321 is awake! It's a miracle!"

"Why is it a miracle?" Shermie asked to herself. She still didn't have a lot of strength to open her mouth.

KOBAYASHI: Okay, coming.

Kobayashi entered the room. He was a middle aged man of about forty five, with bit of a pot belly and stress lines on his face. Years and years of overwhelming work in the medical field must have taken their toll on his body, Shermie thought.

KOBAYASHI: Well, welcome back! You know, you're quite lucky to be alive, young lady! We almost lost you, more than once. When we got you on the ambulance, here was a time when the paramedics were sure you were gone. However, when we got you to the hospital, we found that you still had a bit of a pulse. I wanted to keep you here in case anything changed. Thankfully, I was right. You're awake.

Shermie at this point tried to speak. At last she was able to form some words, but she could not speak at full volume.

SHERMIE: What... happened... to me?

KOBAYASHI: You have suffered a very serious wound to your abdomen. When the paramedics found you, you had already lost a lot of blood. We were so sure you were going to die.

SHERMIE: Why... save me?

KOBAYASHI: We got a call from some local citizens who live near to where the finals of the King of Fighters tournament was taking place. They said they heard a lot of screaming and saw a flash of bright light, so bright that it lit up the night sky as if it were daytime. We sent the police and paramedics to investigate.

When they got there, they found something very disturbing. It looked to them like some kind of ancient religious cult ceremony. There were bodies spread out on the ground. Yours was one of them. They found three other bodies. Two of them are here in this hospital right now in stable condition. Unfortunately, the third body has expired, I'm afraid.

SHERMIE: Who else... did you.. find there?

KOBAYASHI: We found a man with long red hair that covered his face slightly, and he was wearing some kind of goth like outfit. He had a lot of blood on him, but we were able to rescue him. The second body was that of a young woman. She was wearing a strange white robe with black leather pants. An interesting outfit. We also managed to save her.

SHERMIE: Who... was .. the third... person?

KOBAYASHI: You mean the one that was found dead? Well, it was a man. He had white hair, and was wearing a red shirt with cargo pants. He looked like some kind of new age punk rocker. His throat had been slashed. Preliminary reports say that it might have been a suicide.

SHERMIE: Oh... my GOD!!! YASHIRO... NOOOO!

Shermie began to sob. Tears were steaming down her face. After the doctor had announced Yashiro's death to her, she began to be filled with a new strength. Her shock over the loss of her lover had actually made her more awake and aware of her surroundings. She began to cry uncontrollably.

KOBAYASHI: Did you know this man?

SHERMIE: (between sobs) He... he was...

KOBAYASHI: I see. No need to explain any further. You just have yourself a good cry.

SHERMIE: (her crying letting up a little, her voice slowly coming back) Did... did you find a boy? A young boy of about 15?

KOBAYASHI: I'm sorry, but there was no boy found at the scene. It was only you, and the three others.

"Then, then Chris must have been... his body must have been completely wiped out when the Orochi was re-sealed!" Shermie thought to herself. She began to start sobbing again uncontrollably.

KOBAYASHI: I'm sorry miss, but you need to rest now. You have had a very traumatic experience, and you are not in good condition. Nurse! We must give this patient a sedative to make her sleep. She is still not in good condition, and she needs to rest. Now that she knows her friends have died, her mental condition will only make her overall condition worse.

NURSE: Yes, doctor.

The nurse prepares the needle, and sticks it into Shermie's arm. Shermie protested, and kicked and screamed at the nurse. She almost caused her to drop the needle, but it was no use. The sedative was in her body, and within two minutes, she began to feel very weary. She was losing strength fast. Eventually, she had fallen asleep.

KOBAYASHI: (to his nurse) We need to keep her here for a few more days until she recovers.

NURSE: Understood, doctor. What should I do if she wakes up and gets hysterical again?

KOBAYASHI: Just give her more sedative. We need to keep her as relaxed as possible until she is well enough. If she goes into hysterics, it could be a big problem. (looking down at Shermie.) Poor dear. I hope you will be able to find peace again soon.

Preview of Chapter 3: Find out more about Shermie's childhood and her Orochi curse in chapter 3 of "Tainted Blood." Coming soon!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3- Cursed Genes

The nurse had put the sedative in Shermie's arm, and almost immediately, Shermie felt very weak. She quickly relaxed herself and drifted off to sleep.

The next thing she knew, she was back at her old childhood mansion in the French countryside. Was she dreaming? It was a summer afternoon. The air smelled fresh and clean, the trees and grass swayed lightly in the cool breeze, and the late afternoon Sun was setting. The sky had turned an attractive reddish-violet color. Shermie was in her large backyard, complete with swimming pool and tennis courts, practicing tennis with her father. Shermie was so small and cute! Looking back at this scene, she guessed that she must have been around 8 or 9 years old at the time, which would make the year 1984 or '85. Shermie was laughing and smiling as her father went to her, picked her up, held her up high, and swung her around in a circle. She loved it when he did that!

She began to remember more things about her father. His name was Remy. Remy was a very rich, well known martial arts film star in Europe. He had made some very successful movies in both Europe and Hong Kong during the late 70's and early 80's. But now he was beginning to get a little old, and it was showing. Many producers did not want him to star in their movies anymore, because he was showing signs of age. He was greying at the temples, and his face was beginning to sag a little. The industry was looking for younger, more enthusiastic talent at that time. Remy decided to retire from movies, and use the money he made to buy a nice mansion in the country. He would spend his time loving and raising his only daughter, while still making some money teaching martial arts to any interested students.

Besides making movies, Remy was also a very legitimate fighter. He had many tournament victories to his credit, and he owned wins over the likes of Mr. Big and Takuma Sakazaki in tournament competition. However, the fight that made him famous was one he did not win. He fought the ultra-tough Wolfgang Krauser to a draw in the late '70s. Since Krauser was highly touted at that time, the fact that Remy even survived against him in battle made many people sit up and take notice. After this fight, he was signed on to play the lead role in many martial arts movies. He also spent his free time teaching Shermie what he knew about martial arts.

Shermie loved her father, and she was the apple of her father's eye as well. Growing up, she had been daddy's little girl to the fullest extent of the term. When she was very young, her father went away a lot to make movies, so Shermie would be looked after by her aunt Celeste. Her mother had died while giving birth to her, so she never got to know her, although she had seen many pictures of her. She had been a very tall, voluptuous woman, and Shermie thought she was the epitome of beauty growing up. However, in one picture, Shermie noticed something in her mother's eyes, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. She had this look that said, "I have a secret. I know something nobody else knows, and if I told it, I don't know what would happen." Shermie sometimes focused on this, but most of the time, she passed it off as just a defect in the picture.

Shermie knew that her father saw many different women while he was away filming, but she forgave him for that. After all, with her mother gone, she didn't expect him to be lonely forever. She only hoped that if he ever got remarried, that she would like the new woman he was with. Her father had promised her that he would seek Shermie's approval before tying the knot again.

Now Remy had put the young Shermie down, and he tickled her nose.

REMY: Shermie darling, I must go inside. I will get us some nice food to eat. Why don't you go play on the swing set until I get back?

SHERMIE: YAYYY!!!!! I love the swings!

Shermie ran towards the swing set that her father had built for her, and began to swing. It was a great experience, the cool breeze blowing through her hair, the orange sun setting in the background, as she slowly went higher and higher on the swings. Suddenly, something felt a little funny. The wind started to pick up, not just a little, but quite a bit. The wind was rushing through her hair as the sky suddenly grew darker. Shermie was getting scared.

All of a sudden, seemingly out of nowhere, a man appeared! This man was someone Shermie had never seen before. He certainly was not one of her father's friends or co-stars. However, he was just as tall and strong looking as her dad. He was wearing what looked to be blue priest robes. He was a young man, maybe in his late 20's, and he had blond hair that was styled in a very peculiar way. As the man approached, Shermie got off her swing and stood in horror.

GOENITZ: Good evening, my dear Shermie.

SHERMIE: What? How do you know my name?

GOENITZ: I know very many things about you, child. I have been watching you and checking on your progress since you were born. I am very pleased that you are developing just as we expected. In a few short years, you and the others will be ready to join me and fulfill his destiny!

SHERMIE: What are you talking about? Who are you? Who are these "others?"

GOENITZ: You are still too young yet to understand the full meaning, but let's just say that you have been put on this Earth for a specific purpose. You will fulfill this purpose, there is no escape. From now until the time comes, no matter how hard you try, no matter how hard you fight, your ultimate future cannot be altered! You have been predestined to follow us and achieve our will. You will die sacrificing yourself to bring about his resurrection. You father may have given birth to you, but he is just a vessel. Soon, you will be calling us family!

SHERMIE: No, I love my father! He is the only family I want! I don't know who you are, but how dare you talk about my father that way! (getting more agitated) My future is up to ME, no one else, my father has told me so! You are just a no good, rotten buffoon. Get lost, dweebenheimer!" (Shermie throws dirt in Goenitz's face.)

GOENITZ: (smiling, wiping the dirt from his face.) Hahahaha! This is the type of behavior we are looking for. Very aggressive! Just what we will need when the time is right. Shermie, you can fight all you want, but you cannot escape your predetermined fate. You have been selected to fulfill this very important task since you were conceived, just like I was. The sooner you realize this, the sooner you accept us as your true family, the better off you will be!

SHERMIE: NO!!!! I won't listen to you! Go away!

(Remy hears this last sentence and runs out to the backyard)

REMY: Shermie! Shermie my darling! Are you all right? I heard you screaming. Who are you talking to?

SHERMIE: I was talking to... (She turns around, but the strange man is nowhere to be seen. He has disappeared! All that remains is a strong blast of cold wind, shaking the trees and grass, chilling Shermie to the bone.) ... I was talking to nobody, daddy. I was just acting.

REMY: Okay, my sweet. Come, let's have supper!

Shermie and Remy eat their supper. Shermie acts like nothing happened. After supper, she goes into her room, sits down beside her bed, and begins to weep softly. She is very scared. Who was that man? What did he want? What does it mean that my fate is predetermined? She continued crying, while saying softly to herself, "My fate is not predestined... my fate is not predestined. I am in control of my future... I am in control...

Suddenly, Shermie's mind leaves that place from her past. She is back in the hospital room. She is awake again.

(Chapter 4 preview)- The crossover begins! Coming soon!


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Note-_ I apologize for not updating the story in a while. I have been away on vacation for the past few weeks. Anyway, on with the story! Reviews are appreciated!

Chapter 4, Tales from "A Different Space."

After the hard-fought battle at the conclusion of the King Of Fighters '97 tournament, Yashiro Nanakase, under the influence from his lord and master Orochi, had taken his own life in order to resurrect the ancient serpent spirit. Yashiro, after thinking that he had killed his lover, Shermie, had committed _seppuku_, a traditional Japanese suicide ritual. Surprisingly, the act was not as painful as he thought it would be. He did not feel anything. It was not a long, drawn out death filled with agony. It was almost as if he did not notice it at all.

In what seemed like a nanosecond, Yashiro closed his eyes, only to open them again in a strange new place. He did not know where he was, but he was pretty certain that he was not on Earth anymore. "So this must be the afterlife," Yashiro said to himself. He looked down at his stomach, only to find that the wounds from the ritual suicide had vanished completely. There were no scars, no trace of any activity having taken place there. "Now I know I'm dead," he said out loud.

Yashiro looked ahead, adjusting his vision to the new environment. He was lying on a stone floor, inside of an old building. The interior of the building resembled a castle, with beautiful artifacts and other crafts decorating the room. He noticed that there were two doors that served as gateways into this room. One door was very tall, about ten feet high, and was painted red. On the center of the door hung an Orochi symbol painted in gold. The other door was a simple wooden door, one that you would find in almost any modest house. It was this door that opened first.

Yashiro was still trying to shake the cobwebs out, adjusting his vision, trying to see what was coming into his room from behind the wooden door. Standing in the doorway was the last person he expected to see.

CHRIS: Yashiro!

YASHIRO: W...WHAT? Chris, what are you doing here? Where are we?

CHRIS: Yashiro. It... It's over now.

YASHIRO: What do you mean?

CHRIS: You know my body was supposed to be the vessel for our lord Orochi to return to Earth, right? Well, I guess Orochi wasn't awake enough, or maybe the Three Sacred Treasures were just too strong. In any case, the fight is over. Orochi has lost the battle.

YASHIRO: So it's over. Are we dead?

CHRIS: I'm afraid so, at least in earthly terms. We have left the Earth and have entered what Orochi calls "A different space." Say, do you feel like you are still under the influence of Orochi?

YASHIRO: No! Not at all! I sort of feel like I did before all this Orochi garbage. Like, almost back to normal again. Well, if you're back, then I assume the Orochi is here somewhere as well. (looks over towards the big red door) Perhaps this door leads to his inner sanctum. He's probably pissed at us for messing up his plans. We should go in there and face the music.

CHRIS: I guess so... but... WAIT! You and I are here, but where's Shermie?

YASHIRO: I... don't know. I was sure that she had left Earth before I made my sacrifice. I checked her pulse, her breathing. She couldn't still be... No, perhaps she is behind that big door, already with Orochi.

CHRIS: I think you're right, let's go!

Chris and Yashiro head for the red door on the other side of the room. Yashiro opened the door. He knew that Orochi would be behind this door, but what he saw he did not expect. Standing there, in a room that seemed to be as big as 50 regular sized house rooms, was someone he had never seen before. Yet, he knew who he was. He knew the legend. It was Orochi. Only, it was not the same Orochi that had fought with the Three Sacred Treasures back on Earth. This was something else entirely. This was the Orochi's true form.

True Orochi stood approximately 40 feet tall, with eight long heads all resembling a dragon. Each head had a pair of fiery red eyes, sharp teeth that were reminiscent of a Tyrannosaurus, and beards just like the Asian dragons of myth. Orochi's true appearance would certainly give most children, and probably most adults nightmares for years.

One of the heads in the center of the beast leaned forward, opened its mouth, and began to speak.

OROCHI: Alas, my children, we have failed in our mission. But nevertheless, the Orochi is immortal. I can never die! I can only be contained in this place until one of my servants is brave enough to release me again!

However, my children, I was disappointed with your performance. You bungled my return to Earth. Now, I shall exile your souls here in this space for all eternity! One day, when I find other humans who are worthy enough to embody the spirits of my four Heavenly Kings, even your pathetic souls will be no more!

YASHIRO: That's all fine and dandy, but aren't you missing someone else? I think even a freak with eight heads can see that one of us is missing. Where is she?

OROCHI: ... Damn! Why isn't the Heavenly King of electricity with you?

CHRIS: You tell us! Aren't you Orochi? Aren't you all seeing, all powerful?

OROCHI: She... She is still on Earth!!! What is the reason for this? Heavenly King of Parched Earth, you were supposed to sacrifice her to me!

YASHIRO: Shermie is still alive? Oh God!

OROCHI: THERE IS NO GOD!!! Fool, there is only Orochi! You will pay for this mistake. I shall put you both away in my room of souls for the time being. If I ever return to Earth, I will destroy this place, and everyone in it!

Orochi whisks Yashiro and Chris off to the room of souls. Meanwhile, the deity is already planning his next move.

OROCHI: Mukai, Magaki!!

Mukai and Magaki are two of the "Heralds of Orochi," a class of worshipers even more powerful and high ranked than the Heavenly Kings. Once called, they appear in the inner sanctum next to Orochi.

MUKAI: We are here for you, my lord!

MAGAKI: What is thy bidding, Master?

OROCHI: My heavenly Kings have failed me. Now it seems that we will have to take the next step together.

MUKAI: What do you want us to do, my lord?

OROCHI: Nothing, at least not for now. I have a great plan on how to return to Earth. But, we must wait. For now, we must let the Three Sacred Treasures and the other King of Fighters participants think that I truly am gone. It should be easy enough. There is a human organization, called NESTS, that has taken an interest in the Kusanagi boy, the one who dealt me the final blow. It seems they have plans to organize the upcoming King of Fighters tournaments. NESTS is considered controversial and evil by most humans, so their activities should distract the fighters enough to take their minds off me for a good amount of time. Once NESTS is defeated, we shall enter the game once again, taking everyone completely by surprise!

MUKAI: How can you be sure that NESTS will be defeated?

OROCHI: I know this. NESTS is powerful. Their leader, the one known as Igniz, has a strong will and determination, but he is too overconfident. He truly believes that he is immortal and a deity, like me. This will lead to his downfall. He is strong, but he is nowhere near as powerful as we are.

MAGAKI: Master, what about the other Heavenly King, the girl who still roams the Earth? What are we to do about her?

OROCHI: Patience, my son. I have some special plans for her. She will no doubt join us again once she realizes her family is involved.

MUKAI: But her father, her only surviving relative, died last year in an automobile accident. She has no family left.

OROCHI: Not true, there is a sibling...


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Sorry for the long delay in writing. I admit, I got a little lazy now that I am on my summer holiday. Here is chapter 5 of my fanfic. Hope you enjoy! It's a long one, so grab some coffee. Please send reviews if you like.

Chapter 5- Welcome back Shermie!

October 31:

Shermie had been in the hospital for over one week, trying to regain her strength and heal her wounds after what the Japanese press was now calling "The battle for humanity." Over the course of the past week, Shermie's strength had slowly come back to her, she could now sit up straight, walk, and speak in her normal tone. She would have a scar on her midsection from where Yashiro had tried to kill her, but she figured she could make some more money and then get some cosmetic surgery to fix that.

Even though she was feeling better physically, from an emotional standpoint she could not have felt any worse. She had just lost the only two real friends she knew and loved, one of them being the man she planned on spending the rest of her life with. The constant media coverage about Yashiro's death did not make things any easier. All this had happened only one year after her father's untimely demise. Also, she had been living with the guilt that she should have died along with them that night, but for some reason that was unclear to her at the moment, the Universe had decided to spare her life instead of the others. Having Orochi power flowing through her, Shermie had very powerful psychic connections and otherworldly instincts that most people did not possess. She knew that she was supposed to die, but some fluke of nature had interfered. She began to wonder if Yashiro had really meant to kill her, or if he somehow wanted her to live. Maybe he wanted her to find something on Earth?

Suddenly, she sat up and cursed her Orochi blood. It was because of this bloodline, this curse, that caused her to abandon her happy, cheerful life with her friends and the band. It was her Orochi blood that had lead her into the death trap that took place one week ago. It was because of the Orochi that her closest friends in the world were now dead. Shermie began to weep. Why had the Orochi chosen her? Why couldn't someone else have been the Heavenly King of Orochi? Why couldn't she have lived a normal life like all her other girlfriends? She hated Orochi. She hated her genes and everything that had to do with that monster. "If... If only there was some way... some way I could rid myself of this curse," Shermie said to herself. "I would do anything."

At this point, the door to her hospital room opened, and Dr. Kobayashi walked in, looking as drab and unkempt as ever. The doctor had a big smile on his face, which was unusual for him.

KOBAYASHI: Good news, Shermie! I was just reviewing your charts, and I have come to the decision that you are indeed fit enough to go home today! I just need you to sign the necessary paperwork, and then you can go to the main office and check out. Congratulations, you have made a full recovery!

SHERMIE: That's great news, doctor. No offense to you, but I am really looking forward to getting out of here. Thank you so much for all your help. I might not have survived without you.

KOBAYASHI: It was a pleasure. I wish you all the best. Now, take good care of yourself, and try not to get into any more trouble. Even though you are a beautiful young woman, I don't want to see you around here anytime soon, okay?

SHERMIE: Thanks, doctor.

The two shook hands, and Shermie soon checks out of the hospital. For the first time since the incident, she is a free woman. However, without her friends by her side, she is lost as to what to do next. After spending a day or so walking around Tokyo, seeing the sights and enjoying the cuisine, she decides that there is really only one place for her to go: back to her band's apartment in Southtown, USA. Shermie uses some of her remaining money to buy a plane ticket and head back.

November 6th:

Shermie has been back in the Southtown apartment for a few days now. She knew that coming back here would be very painful at first, but it was something she had to face up to. The first two days were the roughest. She could not walk around any corner of the apartment without being reminded of the good times she had there with her friends and lover. Everywhere she turned, there were little reminders: Chris' drum set sitting in the far corner by the window, Yashiro's prized guitar encased in glass near his bed, the picture of her and Yashiro on the roller coaster at Coney Island. It seemed as though she was in a constant state of weeping and bellowing. She thought about putting those things away somewhere, but she decided not to, because in a way it would be an insult to their memory, she thought. However, on the third day things started to improve. She escaped from her pain by watching a lot of television, eating ice cream and spending quality time with her beloved hamsters. She found that watching the Star Wars Trilogy in particular made her mood a lot better. By the 6th of November, she was ready to get out and go look for a new job.

Shermie did not know exactly what kind of job she wanted, but she knew she couldn't go join another band, it would be like urinating on Yashiro and Chris' memories.

Before going out, Shermie changed her attire. She put on a tight fitting, low-cut CYS band T-shirt with a black leather jacket over it. She also put on a pair of jeans and high-heeled boots. This is how she usually dressed when she was not making a public appearance. The T-shirt was low, so it showed the tops of her breasts, and accentuated her bust to the fullest, so this should help any potential male employer fit right in the palm of her hand.

Shermie left her apartment around 1:00 pm, and went downtown looking for any place she might be interested in working at. Her first stop was at the _Illusions_ bar, she thought she might try her hand at bartending, since she had mixed a lot of drinks for her friends while on tour. When she stepped inside, she asked the bartender on duty where she could find the manager. The bartender said that the owner, a woman named King, was away for the day, and could not see her. However, the assistant would be able to grant her an interview.

Within 5 minutes, the assistant appeared at the bar. He was an extremely tall and obese middle aged man with long brown hair. He stretched out his immense hand toward Shermie. When he spoke, it was very deep and abrasive.

JACK: Hi there, I'm Jack Turner, the assistant manager.

SHERMIE: Hello. My name's Shermie.

JACK: So, what can I do for ya?

SHERMIE: I thought I might be able to find work here as a bartender.

JACK: Cool, you've definitely got the look. What kinda experience you got?

SHERMIE: Well, that's the thing, not much. I used to mix some drinks for some friends while we were on tour together, but that was about it.

JACK: Hmmmm. Well, little miss, I think that's gonna be a problem. The owner of this place doesn't like to hire folks who don't already have prior experience. Hell, if it was up to me, I'd hire ya in a flash. But, the owner and me, sometimes we don't get along so well. She's got the final say in these things. So, I'm sorry.

SHERMIE: No problem, thanks for your time.

JACK: Sorry about that. Hey, don't forget to come back here on ladies night!

Shermie smiled and giggled as she left the bar. As she continued down the street, she sighed and told herself that you can't win them all. Shermie was interested in the nightlife in Southtown, so she wanted to see if she could find another bar, restaurant or nightclub that didn't have such strict hiring policies. As she walked on, she came across a place that seemed to have a lot of action and excitement centered around it. As she moved in closer, she saw the name of the restaurant, Pao Pao Cafe, and underneath that sign was the name of the proprietor, Richard Meyer.

Just like last time, Shermie entered the restaurant and asked where she could find a manager who could give her an interview. One of the waiters informed her that Mr. Meyer was in the building, and that he would be happy to talk with her about working. Shermie entered Richard Meyer's office. Richard was middle aged, but looked younger than he was. He also appeared to be very physically fit. He might even be a fighter himself, Shermie thought.

RICHARD: Hey, how's it going, pretty lady. Have a seat. My names Richard, I own this place.

SHERMIE: I'm Shermie. Thank you for agreeing to meet with me.

RICHARD: No problem, Sherry. What kind of position were you looking for?

SHERMIE: I was hoping to find a job as a hostess or waitress. I've done some hostessing when I was a teenager, but I've never been a waitress.

RICHARD: Well, we already have a few good hostesses working here, but since you have never waitressed, I'm not sure if I can hire you. We don't offer training to new employees. So, is there any other position you want?

SHERMIE: No, that's okay. Thanks for your time.

RICHARD: Hey, don't worry Shelly. I'm sure there are plenty of places looking for a hot girl like yourself. Don't give up.

Shermie walked out feeling a little depressed. 0 for 2. Not going so well. Whatever sense of semi-happiness she was feeling at the start of the day had now faded. She decided to call it a day and continue on tomorrow.

Shermie went back to her apartment and began to sulk. It seemed like nothing was ever going to go her way again. First she loses her friends because of this stupid blood-curse, and now she can't find a job to save her life. It seemed as though her life was at a dead-end, and going absolutely nowhere fast. She began to wonder if there was really anything left here on this planet for her. Would taking her own life really be such a bad option at this point? What else could she do? Soon, Shermie decided against it. She had already cheated death once, it might not be a good idea to tempt fate again. No, she would keep plugging away and try to find more job opportunities tomorrow.

Soon after, she turned on the television, hoping that TV would somehow distract her enough to get her mind off all that was happening. She flipped through the channels. There was nothing much. A lot of commercials.

"If you buy Oxy-Clean today, you'll save 20 dollars, AND you'll say goodbye to set in stains FOREVER!"

"Mama don't make me another meatloaf, forget that mac and cheese. I want some fun piled on a bun, I want a Manwich please."

"Call 1-800 STEEMER, Stanley Steemer gets carpet cleaner!"

"Stay tuned for scenes from the next 'All My Children.'"

Shermie's eyes started to brighten up (behind her long bangs.) She LOVED soap operas. It was a great distraction from the everyday. After she viewed the enticing scenes from the next show, a commercial came over the airwaves that would take Shermie's life in a whole new direction.

In this commercial, an old little man who looked like a mad scientist appeared on the television screen. He was trying to sell the idea of his version of cryogenic freezing, called "Cold Sleep."

"Hi there, I'm Dr. Boskonovitch, or Dr. B for short. Do you have a life threatening illness that you just can't get rid of? Are you afraid that this illness will take your life before you are ready to exit this world? Are you depressed, unemployed, with nowhere to go in life? Do you feel like you have just run out of options?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then there may be a new alternative waiting for you. I call it the "Cold Sleep" therapy. We start by putting your body in a freezing state, called 'cryogenic freezing.' Your body will be chilled to an unbelievably cold temperature. However, while you are in this state, you will not age, and time will have no effect on you whatsoever. You can stay in this state for an indefinite amount of time. When the cure for your disease finally arrives, or when the career and life you want to have becomes more accessible, our scientists will thaw you out of this state, and you can go on living your life just as you were, only your life will be better! So, if life is dragging you down for whatever reason, don't hesitate to call us. We will be waiting for you! Remember, a better life awaits!"

At first, Shermie laughed at this concept. Why would anyone want to do this? But then, she began to examine her own life. She thought about how she had nothing anymore, and how her cursed blood has left her in such a terrible state. Then she began to ask, "Why not? It just might be crazy enough to work. Who knows what might exist in the future? There could even be a treatment for cursed blood like mine." With that, Shermie had made her decision.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6- Visiting the Doctor

November 7, 1997

It was very cold and extremely windy on this morning. The temperature was around 30 degrees and the winds were howling, blowing leaves everywhere. Shermie did not like the cold weather much. It meant that she would have to wear heavy clothing that covered up her figure and features. Shermie was an attractive young woman and she knew it. She loved to tease men with her body, it was something that gave her satisfaction and pleasure. It made her feel wanted, more confident in herself. But she could not do that on this day, or maybe any other day for a long time. She had decided to go and meet Dr. Boskonovitch in his lab, which was situated 100 miles outside Southtown.

Shermie felt this morning's cold weather was a harbinger of things to come. If it turned out that she qualified to undergo the Cold Sleep procedure, her body would be literally be frozen for an indefinite amount of time. She would not know when, or even if, she would wake up and see the world again. Also, if she did wake up, what kind of world would she find herself in? These were deep questions that Shermie thought about and was a bit frightened of, but it was a risk she was more than willing to take. To her, this life had lost all meaning. Her father was her rock in life. After he died, she met up with Yashiro and Chris, and they became family to her. It seemed that her whole existence over the past 2 years had been centered on the three of them and the special bond they shared. Once that bond was broken, there was nothing left for Shermie. On top of all that, she now had to deal with her cursed Orochi blood. She never knew when the Orochi side of her would awaken again, and how many people she could hurt as a result. "This is no way to live," she told herself, "I am doing the right thing."

At around 11:00 AM, Shermie stepped of the bus that took her from Southtown to the area where the lab was located. She had to walk about 1 mile after getting off the bus, but soon she recognized the place she saw in the commercial. The building itself was tall, about 30 stories, and was situated in the center of a great plaza. The sign on the front of the building said, "Mishima Zaibatsu Research Laboratory, USA Branch- Est. 1962." At the front door of the building stood two majestic gold lions, and near the entrance of the plaza stood a statue of an old, balding Japanese man, whose remaining hair was stretched wildly outward. "Nice coif, or lack thereof!" Shermie chuckled to herself. A plaque underneath the statue read, "Heihachi Mishima, founder and CEO."

Shermie stepped through the revolving doors and walked to the nearest elevator. She looked at the sign near the elevator, explaining where each scientist was located. The sign read, "DR. BOSKONOVITCH- LAB 624." So, the doctor's lab was located on the sixth floor.

She took the elevator up to the desired floor, and when she stepped out, she did not see a corridor like one usually sees inside a doctor's office. Instead, she saw a huge open space, with many scientists working on various experiments all throughout the lab. Shermie began to walk towards one of the scientists, when a hand reached out and touched her shoulder. She turned and saw one of the strangest looking beings she had ever seen in her life. She could not tell if he was human, a robot, or an alien. At first glance he seemed to be a combination of all three. All that Shermie knew for sure was that he had what looked like a light-saber slung over his back. A mechanical hand reached out to her. The thing began to speak.

YOSHIMITSU: Good morning. Are you here to see somebody?

SHERMIE: Ummm.. yes, I'm looking for Dr. Boskonovitch.

YOSHIMITSU: Did you make an appointment to see him?

SHERMIE: No, I just came by myself.

YOSHITMITSU: Why are you here?

SHERMIE: I wanted to talk to him about the Cold Sleep procedure. I want to know if I qualify.

YOSHIMITSU: Oh, I see. Follow me.

Yoshimitsu led Shermie through a door on the right hand side of the lab. They entered what looked to be another laboratory, but this one was filled with capsules. As Shermie came closer, she realized that the capsules housed people! They were nearly naked, and it looked like their bodies were somewhat frozen. Could they be subjects of the Cold Sleep project? Shermie saw two of them, both were female.

YOSHIMITSU: I'm sorry about back there. This lab is working on some very top secret projects, so total security is essential. I'm Yoshimitsu, one of Dr. Boskonovitch's most personal friends. I am also his security guard in a manner of speaking.

SHERMIE: My name's Shermie. It's okay what you did back there. I understand. By the way, who are these people? Are they Cold Sleep subjects?

YOSHIMITSU: Yes, these are two sisters. Their names are Nina and Anna Williams. After the last King of Iron Fist tournament, which I participated in, these two volunteered to be test subjects for Dr. Boskonovitch's new experiment. It has been successful so far. They have been in this state for about one year.

SHERMIE: So far, so good, it looks like!

After viewing the Cold Sleep sisters, the being (Shermie was still not sure if he was a man) known as Yoshimitsu led Shermie right to the door of Dr. Boskonovitch's office. He knocked on the door. A moment later, an aging man poked his head out through the doorway.

BOSKONOVITCH: What is it Yo-man?

YOSHIMITSU: Doctor, there is a woman here to see you. She wants to know more about the Cold Sleep procedure.

BOSKONOVITCH: (looking at Shermie) He.. HEEELLLOO! Wow, umm, please come in young lady.

Shermie walked into the office. As she went by Dr. Boskonovitch, he turned slowly to get a good look at her "gifts."

BOSKONOVITCH: Yoshi, leave us please.

YOSHIMITSU: Okay Doctor. It was nice meeting you, Shermie.

SHERMIE: Same here.

After Yoshimitsu left, Dr. Boskonovitch sat down at his desk. Shermie took her jacket off, which gave the doctor even more opportunity to stare at Shermie.

BOSKONOVITCH: My dear, what brings you here today? How can I be of service?

SHERMIE: I am here to see if I can qualify for the Cold Sleep procedure.

BOSKONOVITCH: All right, could you tell me a little about why you want to do this?

SHERMIE: Well, in the last few years, I have managed to lose just about everything that is important to me. My father died 2 years ago, and recently I have lost my two best friends, once of which was my boyfriend, and now I am unemployed and can't find a job.

BOSKONOVITCH: Well, I can see how that would make one depressed, but is this enough to want to be put into cold sleep? Those people must have been very close to you.

SHERMIE: They were, doctor. But that's not the worst of it. Have you ever heard of a martial arts tournament called "The King of Fighters?"

BOSKONOVITCH: Of course, they are the number one ratings rival of the King of Iron Fist tournament, which is run by the CEO of this company. Last year both tournaments drew equal viewers, they are neck- and-neck as far as popularity goes. But what does the King of Fighters have to do with Cold Sleep?

SHERMIE: Well, doctor, if you watched this past year's tournament, you may have heard about how a superhuman being named Orochi tried to destroy all of humanity. The Orochi is a being not of this world, so he needed an immense amount of energy to be brought into Earth. He used the fighting energy of all the tournament participants in order to give him the necessary energy to awaken in this world.

Unfortunately, he needed servants to assist him in bringing all of these powerful warriors together. That's where I come in. You see, I was one of those servants, doctor. The Orochi chose four strong people, and infused his essence or 'Orochi Blood' into their bodies at birth. By doing this, the Orochi could call on these people at any time, turning them into mindless servants who obey his every command. I only discovered this about one month ago, when I participated in the KOF tournament. Because of this Orochi blood, my friends and lover are dead, and now I feel like a helpless pawn, destined to serve the Orochi at any time he wants. I do not want to live like this, doctor. I want to undergo the Cold Sleep, in hopes that someday there will be something available to fight this. Can you help me?"

BOSKONOVITCH: Well, Shermie, this is one of the stranger cases I have heard of. I am not quite sure what to make of it. I have never heard of the Orochi before, although I have seen some strange things in my day dealing with the King of Iron Fist tournament and the Mishima Zaibatsu. So far, we only have two participants in the Cold Sleep project. There is room for one more participant. Since the powers that be in the Zaibatsu are breathing down our necks about getting another participant, I suppose that you can give it a try.

SHERMIE: Are you saying?

BOSKONOVITCH: Yes, you can undergo the Cold Sleep. For some reason, I don't know why, I believe your story. You seem like a very honest person to me. While you undergo the procedure, our scientists will do whatever we can to find out more about the Orochi and the blood curse that he puts on innocent people. If possible, I would like you to give me a summary or review about your experiences with this Orochi, so we can find a good place to start our research.

SHERMIE: Fine. When will we start?

BOSKONOVITCH: Well, if you can get me that information by tomorrow, we can begin then. No need to wait long!

SHERMIE: Thank you doctor. I owe my life to you!

BOSKONOVITCH: No problem. How about you stay in the Mishima hotel for tonight. Tomorrow morning, we can begin preparation for the procedure.

SHERMIE: Okay, doctor, thank you again!

BOSKONOVITCH: Okay! Yoshimitsu will show you to your room. It is a pleasure working with you.

Yoshimitsu and Shermie leave the lab together. Back in his office, Dr. Boskonovitch sits and thinks long and hard about what he just heard. "That certainly was a strange story. I'm still not sure if I believe all of it. But, then again, who am I to refuse help to such a beautiful customer?" Dr. Boskonovitch chuckled to himself. He then proceeds to take out his laptop computer, deciding to do an Internet search for "Orochi" to see what he can come up with. To his surprise, he finds a wealth of information that he did not expect. "Wow, she might be telling the truth after all!"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7- Back to the Different Space

Yashiro was sitting in his room with Chris. He had not spoken a word for almost one hour. Both of them were still in utter shock and disbelief over what they had seen earlier.

Of course, everyone knew about the legend of Orochi, but a real eight headed serpent? Nah, that was just kids' stuff. Fairly Tales. Apparently not. The Orochi, in his true form, was as real as his own hand. Finally, Yashiro broke the silence.

YASHIRO: I always thought that we were simply serving a deluded human being who only THOUGHT he was an eight-headed dragon! This is intense! What are we going to do? How can we escape from THAT thing?

CHRIS: I have no idea. But somehow, we need to find a way. Shermie is still on Earth, and we need to find a way to get back to her. We'll think of something. There has just got to be a way to transport ourselves back there.

YASHIRO: Your optimism is refreshing, but not realistic. I just don't see any way out of here.

At that point, the door to the room opens. A man with long white hair and a dressy business suit enters. The first thing Yashiro notices about him is his height. He must have been almost 20 cm taller than Yashiro, who, at 190cm, was a big man himself. The man glanced a Chris, and then looked to Yashiro. He walked toward him, and began to speak.

MAGAKI: Don't see any way out of here? What's the matter, don't you like the accommodations?

YASHIRO: As a matter of fact, I don't. I don't like having to sit around here waiting for something to happen. What's going on? Who the hell are you?

MAGAKI: Call me Magaki, I am a servant of Orochi, one of the Heralds. Orochi has now entrusted his work and his goals with us, since you and your band of flimsy misfits failed miserably last time.

YASHIRO: So, you're one of Orochi's new boys? Fine, you can have him! I hate Orochi for what he has done. He took us away from Shermie, and he hijacked our minds so that we could serve his own purposes. I will never forgive him!

MAGAKI: So sorry you feel that way. Unfortunately for you, you are now a prisoner in Orochi's quarters. You are here forever, under his watchful eyes. You can never escape, no matter how hard you try. This is punishment for your failure.

CHRIS: Why doesn't he just kill us?

MAGAKI: We could kill you, but that would be too nice. We have decided that it is much better for you to sit here in this room for the rest of our life like a prisoner, suffering in pain for the rest of your days. You can sit here every day and think about how you let our master down, and Yashiro, you can think about your lover. You can think about her touch, her scent, and how you can never have that again!

YASHIRO: Screw you pal! Don't ever talk about Shermie like that again! I don't have to sit here and take this. If we're gonna die here, I'd at least rather die fighting! Come on, you stupid bastard, show me your power!

Yashiro stood up and attempted to unleash his Armageddon Fist SDM, but he found that he could not do it. He then tried to perform more of his special moves, but he could not perform them either. Were his powers taken away when he entered this place?

Magaki laughed at Yashiro for failing to engage him. Then, he hit Yashiro with a huge uppercut, sending him flying to the other side of the room. Chris then tried to engage Magaki, but found that his powers could not work either. Magaki swatted Chris aside like a fly.

MAGAKI: Hehehe! You fools haven't realized yet that your powers are gone? So sorry to have to break it to you, but in this realm, super moves and exotic powers have no effect! One must fight using only his bare hands!

YASHIRO: (spitting blood out of his mouth) But, why?

MAGAKI: You will find out soon enough! It will come as a big shock to you when you find out where you REALLY are!

At that point, the door opened, and another man, even bigger than Magaki, stepped into the room.

MUKAI: Magaki! You need to come with me. He wants to see us. It's important!

MAGAKI: Sorry little friends, but I have no more time to play with you. Now, I must deal with adult issues. See you again soon.

With that, Mukai and Magaki left Yashiro and Chris alone with their thoughts.

YASHIRO: Perfect! Not only do we have to deal with these freaks, but we can't even use our powers! Say something positive now, Chris!

CHRIS: This is certainly going to make things more difficult.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8- The Day Has Come.

November 9, 1997.

Shermie awoke in her room which was located a few floors above Dr. Boskonovitch's laboratory in the Mishima Zaibatsu building. The first thing she thought about after waking up was that she could not believe that she was going to do what she was about to do. Over the past two days, she had been both excited and nervous about the procedure. She knew however, that she had already signed on for the procedure, so there was no backing out now. Besides, Shermie thought, anything at this point was better than having to face an uncertain future and a life with her cursed blood. She hoped against hope that someday, somehow, there would be a way to cure her illness and live as a normal young woman. But, what kind of future world would be there when, or if, she woke up? Shermie quickly erased these last minute doubts from her mind, and told herself that it would be a chance she would have to take.

Shermie got out of bed, did some stretches, and then slipped out of her robe and got into the shower. A few minutes later, she emerged from her room and went down to the second floor to have something to eat. She wanted to eat one last time before going into the cold sleep, because she might not be able to eat again.

Shermie was supposed to meet with Dr. Boskonovitch at 9:00AM, so she had about 15 minutes. She finished her French toast and eggs, and got into the elevator and went up to the laboratory.

Upon arrival, Dr. Boskonovitch greeted her. He had a bit of a worried look on his face.

BOSKONOVITCH: Hello Shermie, how are you? Are you ready for this? Remember, this is a big step. There's still time to back out if you want to.

SHERMIE: I'm not going to back out doctor, I'm sure about this. Why do you look so worried? Is something wrong?

BOSKONOVITCH: Well, to be honest, I wasn't really sure if you were telling me the truth the other day. But then, after our meeting, I went on the Internet and looked up information about the Orochi. It seems that your story really did check out. It seems there really is an Orochi, and that he is a supernatural entity that enslaves eight people at a time to help him destroy humanity! Also, a number of people saw a bright flash of light, almost as bright as the sun, at almost midnight on the night of the last King of Fighters tournament. There is no known physical phenomenon that can account for this. It seems strange, but I guess you were telling the truth after all. I'm sorry if I did not fully believe you earlier.

SHERMIE: It's okay. When will everything be ready?

BOSKONOVITCH: My scientists say we will be ready to go in 5 minutes. However, Shermie, I must tell you now, that trying to find an ailment for something like what you have will be very difficult, if not impossible. I just want you to know the full risk. There is a good possibility that you might not wake up again, and that you will be frozen here for eternity, because we might not be able to find any treatment for you.

SHERMIE: I understand, but doctor, you know what I have been through. Anything is better than having to live like this. I know that this is the right thing to do.

BOSKONOVITCH: Okay, I understand. We will go through with it then. Come on, I'll show you to the room.

Boskonovitch led Shermie down a long corridor into the room where she would be frozen. She saw the capsule that she would be put in, and she almost threw up. But, she had to remind herself, this was the only thing to do now. One of the scientists working near the capsule turned to Boskonovitch, smiled, and told him that everything checked out and that they were ready to go.

BOSKONOVITCH: Shermie, everything is ready now. Are you ready to get int?

SHERMIE: Y... Yes, I'm ready.

BOSKONOVITCH: Okay, then. Let's go.

Shermie carefully disrobed and entered the capsule. Since the freezing device had not been activated, the capsule actually felt very warm and safe. She got in and lay down face up. Boskonovitch looked into the capsule at her.

BOSKONOVITCH: Of course, we will put you under before we put on the freezing mechanism. You will be unconscious and sound asleep before we freeze you.

SHERMIE: Heh, that's good to know!

BOSKONOVITCH: Shermie, I hope that I will still be around when we take you out of the Cold Sleep. I hope that we will be able to find something to help you live the normal everyday life that you yearn for. However, if you wake up and I am no longer here, please don't be afraid. Chances will be good that a cure has been found for you. Good luck, my dear!

SHERMIE: Thank you doctor. When I wake up again, and if you are not here, I will always remember you. Thank you so much for this opportunity.

BOSKONOVITCH: It's my pleasure. Now, lie still, the scientist here will put a serum into your bloodstream to help you sleep. Take good care.

SHERMIE: Thank you.

The scientist assistant took Shermie's arm and put the needle inside. Within moments, Shermie began to feel drowsy. She lay her head down, and began to close her eyes. Before she completely lost consciousness, she was able to mutter a few last words to herself.

SHERMIE: Yashiro.. I will... break this curse...


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

CHRIS: Yashiro... Yashiro.. what's wrong? What's happening? Yashiro!!!!!

Chris did not know how long it had been since Magaki had entered the room and assaulted both himself and Yashiro, but, a few minutes ago, Yashiro began to feel weak. He soon then began to have what seemed like seizures, and he was now on the floor, rolling around, screaming in pain, his body flailing around. Chris was now in panic mode, he did not know what to do to help his friend. He had never seen something like this before. Suddenly, the seizures stopped, and Yashiro, still looking a little weak, began to regain his reasoning.

YASHIRO: Chris...

CHRIS: Yashiro!!! What happened, are you okay?

Yashiro then got to his feet, with a look of determination on his face.

YASHIRO: Chris, somethings wrong. Really wrong.

CHRIS: Well, what is it?

YASHIRO: It's.. Shermie.

CHRIS: What about her?

YASHIRO: I don't know, but I felt something, something bad. I can feel her presence at all times, but now, I sense something different. I can no longer feel her aura with me. Somethings happened to her, Chris. I don't know, but I need to find out. We have to get out of here. Now!

CHRIS: Okay, but how are we going to do it?

YASHIRO: I don't know, but we need to find a way out of here. I've got to find out what's happened to Shermie.

If I lost her, I could not live with myself, no matter what realm I'm in. Come on, we've got to get out of here.

Yashiro and Chris then began to break down the door, but it was no use. Then Yashiro saw something in the corner of the room. It looked as though a brick in the wall looked a little different than all the other bricks. Chris saw it too. Yashiro and Chris smiled at each other, and then Yashiro walked over to the discolored brick. He moved it away. He looked at the empty space that the brick once occupied, and looked back over at Chris with a big smile.

YASHIRO: Jackpot!


	10. Chapter 10

Part II: Future Tense

Chapter 10- Brave New World

August 31, 2132

"... Hey, over here, look! I found one!"

"... What... Whoa! This one's in one piece! Hey, when do you suppose this capsule is from?"

"Definitely before the Nanotech era. Based on the materials used to build it, I would say late 20th century, probably."

"What do we do with the girl inside this thing?"

"We wake her up, of course! How interesting it would be to talk to someone from the 20th century!"

Shermie could hear two men talking to each other inside her capsule. She opened her eyes and woke up, she was not very sure of her surroundings. At that point, all the memories came flooding back to her. She had been frozen, locked up in the capsule because she wanted to find a cure for her cursed Orochi blood! That was it! But, she was awake now... She was.. awake. That meant... Someone was trying to thaw her out! Did she make it? Have they found a treatment? Where was she? WHEN was she? She hoped they would hurry up and get her out of there, she had so many questions she wanted to ask.

The two men who had dug up Shermie's capsule continued to wait until the temperature was warm enough so that they could release her from the capsule. Even if she was one-hundred percent healthy, they knew that it would be a while before her body functions and speech returned to their normal levels. After about forty five minutes, the two men decided to unlock the capsule and let her out.

When Shermie was released from the capsule, she found that her mind was the only part of her that was working properly. She could barely stand up without the aid of the two men, and she could hardly move her mouth to utter any sounds. After a few more minutes, her eyesight began to return to normal levels. That was a start, Shermie thought to herself. She began to survey her surroundings. She remembered that she had been frozen in a laboratory, but this place didn't look like a lab at all. It looked more like an underground cave. Then it came to her: The lab is gone! It's been abandoned! Dr. Boskonovitch and his team must have shut down operations! But, how long ago was that? When is this?

The larger of the two men offered Shermie a drink of water, and of course she accepted. She had no idea how long it had been since she last ate or drank. Shermie then turned her head to get a closer look at the two men who had released her from her capsule. Although at first glance they resembled humans, Shermie noticed there was something odd about their skin. In fact, it did not look like organic skin at all. The men had no lines, wrinkles, freckles, or any other features that human skin has. It looked perfectly straight and smooth, and... shiny. It was almost.. metallic. Metallic! Oh my God, Shermie thought to herself. Where was she? Were these people even human? She began to make panicked noises from her mouth, as she still did not have the strength to speak. One of the "men" sat down next to Shermie, and put a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her down. Shermie stopped with the noises, as the man began to speak.

ROD: There, there, miss. Don't worry. We are not here to hurt you! We came to help. What's your name?

Shermie was thrilled that the man spoke English, but she gestured to her mouth and informed the man that she was unable to speak. She made hand gestures for a pencil and paper. The man immediately understood.

ROD: Right, right. I'll get you some paper. Marcus, do you have a pen?

The other man, Marcus, produced a pen from the side of his helmet. That was strange, Shermie thought.

ROD: Tell us please, what is your name?

Shermie wrote her name down on the paper. She was able to use her hands now.

ROD: I see, so your name is Shermie. Well Shermie, can you tell us what year you were put into this capsule?

Shermie wrote down the year.

ROD: Oh, I see, 1997. Well, Shermie, do you have any idea what year it is now?

Shermie shook her head.

ROD: Well, Shermie, I'm going to tell you something that may be difficult for you to accept. You see, we are now in what you would call the 22nd century. On your calendar, the year would be 2132 AD.

When the metallic man spoke those words, a shiver went down Shermie's spine. 2132? That meant that she was in the capsule for 135 years! Incredible!

ROD: I know it must be difficult for you to believe, but we will do everything we can to help you make the necessary adjustments you need to live a good life in this time period. Don't worry, Shermie, you will be all right. By the way, how rude of me, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Rod, and this is my assistant, Marcus. We are geologists employed by Dr. Cain, the most famous engineer in the 22nd century.

We are, um, not what you would call human. I know where you're from you are used to having and knowing only humans, but in this day and age artificially intelligent machines, or robots as people in your century called them, are quite common. In fact, there are almost as many of us are there are humans! Don't worry, though, we are not evil or crazy like many movies in your era made us out to be. We are friendly and our goal is to serve humans, not conquer them!

Shermie felt a bit of a smile form across her face. It was good to know that these androids were not harmful, but she was still in shock that she was now living in the 22nd century.

ROD: I know you must have many questions for us, but don't worry. We will bring you to Dr. Cain's lab just up the road. When you regain your speech ability in a couple of hours, you can talk to him and ask him all the questions you want. Don't worry, we will make everything as comfortable as possible.

MARCUS: Rod, I just received a message from Dr. Cain. He wants us to take anything we found and bring it back to the lab immediately.

ROD: Well, there you go, Shermie! We can go and see Dr. Cain right now! Come on, let's go.

Shermie stood up with the help of Rod, and she suddenly felt a huge rush of adrenaline. Her mindset was beginning to become a little more positive, and she was filled with a sense of adventure, even a little excitement. What kind of world was waiting for her outside this abandoned lab? She was about to find out!

Next: Shermie comes face-to-face with Dr. Cain, X, and Zero. Do they possibly hold the answers to Shermie's problems? Also, how are the Orochi and the Maverick Virus related? Find out!


End file.
